I only have one foot on the ground (that's the definition of this blog, Rabbi Hillel meets the luftmensch and goes for a ride) but I can't think of a more hopeful piece to read tonight than rbguy's wonderful reporting from Congress for Daily Kos on Keith Ellison of Minnesota, Brian Baird of Washington, and Donna Edwards of Maryland standing up for justice in Palestine, and holding hearings and "community conversations."
There have always been congresspeople who stood up for Palestinians. Jim Moran, Cynthia McKinney, Nick Rahall, Dennis Kucinich, Senator Jim Abourezk, and so on. But something feels different about this troika. They span the country, they are diverse, , they are young, or in Baird's case next-generation. You can say that Ellison was called to it by being Muslim, or that he and Donna Edwards are in the black Andrew-Young tradition of supporting the Palestinians, or that Baird is an outlander; but this feels post-Israel lobby to me. Donna Edwards is from the heart of the beast, Silver Spring, MD, and she's made a connection with Dan Levy who's been a J Street supporter. Baird is a clinical psychologist, an intellectual. Ellison represents the western suburbs of Minneapolis, including St. Louis Park, where Tom Friedman started his work celebrating the Six-Day-War back in high school.
All three are empowered by us, the Iraq war opposition, to apply those lessons to Palestine. "Through their words, and their actions, these three Representatives
are challenging the traditional American-Middle East establishment," says rbguy.
It gives me hope in the movement I'm part of. We need a new "combination," as Lincoln would say. Lincoln was an outsider in the House who served only one term and came to national infamy by opposing the Mexican American war in 1848, because it wasn't our war, and because the president had lied about his reasons for beginning hostilities. In the years that followed, Lincoln left D.C. and built an outsider political movement against slavery, and broke up the old parties. He was able to do so because of the incredible gathering storm of an issue. The mainstream politicians, having cut a deal on slavery, again and again cried out: Why the agitation? The agitation was there, Lincoln said, because the policy was morally wrong, and it must have a political voice.
Lincoln was an ambitious man. That's a famous quality in him. "His ambition was a little engine that knew no rest." And I suppose that's what I love about these three. They all feel like ambitious politicians. For once, there is a sense that political ambition might be wed in our country with support for an evenhanded policy in the Middle East. Now that's news.
Political developments in Washington are changing and tortuous.
Anticipation is in the air and the feeling of this moment is that
there is a prevailing trend towards some Truth being confronted in
Israel/Palestine.It is the obligation of all of us to applaud
Ellison, Baird and Edwards in their vision for peace.
John
I think Diane Feinstein is doing a pretty good job, too, of leaning forward on these issues. Perhaps Mondoweiss should ask the good Senator for an interview. I'd love to hear her answers to the questions: where do you stand on Zionism? the Settlements? the Two-State solution? AIPAC vs J Street. Perhaps it should also interview Ellison, Edwards & Baird. Interview some of these politicians and ask them the straight questions, and publish their responses. Enough of this hiding the ball, pretending that it is impolite to ask about the most important issue facing/corrupting our Congress. It's like living at Jefferson's Monticello, and never mentioning nor acknowledging that half the house slaves are children of the masters.
I'm certain Feinstein will grant an interview to the head of an natisemitic blog.
Cynthia Mckinney, on the other hand, is the perfect person to run this should phil ever get on medication and snap out of his delusions.
James Zogby, AAI, interviews the 2 Congressmen:
From AAI;
Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA) and Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) call for increasing pressure on Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. "We need to put urgent and immediate pressure on the Israeli government to allow more relief supplies in the short run, to be more open at the border, to let people and goods come in and out," said Baird on "Viewpoint with James Zogby".
To watch video please click here .
Poor wormy hates this blog so much yet he reads it CONSTANTLY! lol
For those who wish to see the emotional architecture of chris berel, Suzanne, SOG, THom & the rest of Chris's Stools, nothing I've seen displays their cult faith more than this:
http://www.rightsidenews.com/200901223407/editorial/it-s-the-jews-stupid.html
Note, point by point, their belief system, better articulated here than by their vulgar name calling here.
You will see what you are up against. You will see it's like trying to talk rationally with Adolph Hitler.
Just as Adolph's last political will and testament reveals, they will die with their similar faithful zeal.
Of course, our objective is to decrease USA citizens' support since such is not in USA interest.
Thank you for the link to the video, Mattie. I recommend it to everyone.
Citizen has just tried a pre-emptive strike to attempt to prevent comparing him to Hitler's management style. all Citizen did was assure us that it is an admirer of Hitler's goals.
Congrats, Citizen, you've outed yourself.
You're such an antisemite Berel. You mother holocauster.
I'm all for a diversity of opinions here. Sometimes I'd like a mute button for when I don't want to read Chris Berel's word vomit of "antisemite" on the page.
The expressions "Phil's Phools," "Phil's Stools," and so on, are vulgar and irrelevant and a perfect example of the sort of thing that I think consitutes a disablement of the entire function of the blog, which is to assist rational and compassionate communication. Their presence creates a no-win situation for Phil himself, I would say, because his refusal to remove them makes him appear spineless, not 'liberal'.
What's the matter, Rowan. Too proud to be a member of Phil's Phools?
I hope every like minded person here takes the time to call or fax those congresspeople who are standing up for principle on I-P…and those who aren't.
It does work…I called Betty McCollum's office back when she told AIPAC to get out of her office, asked where I should mail a donation to her reelection campaign and told her aid I was sending it strictly because of her standing up to AIPAC. The aide said they had had many calls supporting her for the same thing. I followed up by sending a check and letter reaffirming the reason for the donation. I did the samething with Jim Moran of Va. You've got to support these people and encourage them if you are going to break the Lobby's strong hold on the US congress.
Remember Bush I's remark that he was just "one loney guy" when he tired to cut aid to Israel because of their continuing settlements? The entire jewish community organization as well as congress came down on him like a ton of bricks. Many former cogresspeople have talked about how they get thousands of calls from jews and pro Israel orgs every week on Israel and almost none for other Americans on Israel issues. The zionist have suceeded because Americans did't care about Israel one way or another and didn't know about or pay any attention to the US-Isr ponzi scheme or foreign affairs or the ME untill after 911.
You know how zionist claim Americans support Israel? It's easy for them to lie about American support because heretofore Americans were mostly indifferent to Israel and ignorant of the I=P facts and when Americans don't actively NOT support Israel by protesting to their politicans…well then the wheel that squeaks the loudest get greased.
Anyone who can spend time here commenting on this can spend time making a call or sending a fax. Do it…or don't complain about having no say on the US-Israel deal.
Since the taxpayers are paying for it you might as well use the toll free number to congress….1-800-962-3524….then just ask to be connected to whoever's office you want.
@Citizen,
did you read the reader comments after Swirsky's standard-issue Jewish victim screed? It seems fewer and fewer are interested in emotionally pandering to the Jewish Zionist network's self-absorbed, they're-all-just-jealous propaganda. In fact, beyond that, they've connected the common denominator dots between Hollywood cultural pollution, the Fed, the Holomodor, the perpetual warmongering, the Talmud, etc.
As one reader put it: "Yup – it's always every-one else, In 109 countries, over 2000 years. Yup yup yup – it's ALWAYS those vicious hating Goyishe (Cattle Slave Beasts). It's NEVER the beliefs and the actions of the (Self) Chosen – it's ALWAYS some-one else."
The rest of the internet is increasingly sounding like Mondoweiss. It's about time.
There are a number of blogs that seem to be becoming unreadable because they are filling up with trolls, yes. This is just one of them.
Great points, American. Phone calls are more effective than emails, and personalized emails are better than the pre-written ones that you can just send off from various websites, but EVERYTHING helps. The more voices, the better, and of course the more money (something I'm personally in short supply of at the moment) the better. Also, it's good to do follow-up letters after you get the typical AIPAC form letter back.
Ed, I noticed the comments too. The tide is indeed turning.
Rowan, I agree with your sentiments. I won't let them keep me away, though. That's their intent.
Let's also make the distinction here though…
People say similar stuff about Islam and Muslims. But rather, they say stuff like Islam is a death cult that is going to take over the world. That sharia law is going to enslave our Christian women in Britain and the US.
All the most fucking retarded shit you'll ever read.
Not taking into account that the Arab world is deeply divided. Amongst itself. Corrupt 'presidents' and family dictatorships that are essentially kept in line by the West, rule over a marginalized public.
No Arab leader alive today will be able to unite all the Muslims of the ME to screw in a light-bulb let alone take over the world.
I mean, most of the ME was drawn up by the West. Afghanistan is a perfect example. Those aren't natural borders. There is so much ethnic strife and religious blah blah blah as a result – among other things.
Socio-economic variables as well. It's a very poor region.
There are even people who suggest the mainstream Western press is favorable to Arabs or that Arabs control Hollywood (Alex Jones).
In any case, we can study things like government/the entertainment industry/news media/etc. because they are institutions.
It's silly to say Jews control this or that. They don't. But they do have the unique affluence in our country.
It's a pressure. Read Chomsky's Manufacturing Consent.
I mean, what is the Israel lobby? Is it a bunch of people in a darkly lit room, smoking cigars and talking about how to run the country? No.
It's a collective of people/groups/etc. working toward a similar goal. That's vague, but you tie it together by that shared interest and by shared 'tactics'.
We can label things the 'military industrial complex' or 'Big Oil' so we should be able to study PEOPLE in the same way.
With antiseptic analysis. Devoid of emotion. Just facts. Now, morons like Berel and Suzanne will pounce on these notions of institutional analysis of a people, as espousing typical antisemitic stereotypes but they aren't worth the diversion.
You have to be realistic and remember what you sound like. How you convey your ideas is important. That doesn't mean you alter the truth. its just a check against yourself that you don't end up sounding like the people you disapprove of.
so the anti-Arab anti-Islam people say similar things. you go to most mainstream discussion forums, and it's all the same. Muslims are terrorists. Those Palestinians are ungrateful. We gave them Gaza, and they lob rockets. Those palestinians send their kids to blow up. Those Palestinians use human shields.
So much of it is so fucking idiotic and devoid of any factual basis that it's just torture to read. You can't imagine how people can be so ignorant.
So lets not stoop to that level when it comes to other groups of people and exercise some intellectualism about it.
Jews as a sociological entity. We are not born black or white or jew or arab. We are born human.
We assume these identities through socialization. I mean, people can define themselves as anything. Some guys even become girls. And some girls become guys.
We are born with a certain set of criteria and then we shape ourselves through our decisions.
In that sense, I think it's silly to still bog ourselves down by this overly politically correctness – in light of that understanding of the formation of the 'self'.
@Chris Berel, this one's for you. And a good article for anyone else too…
That's obviously not Jim Haygood. I'm going to email Phil now and alert him.
While you're at it, tell Phil to consider enforcing those new rules.
@LD,
I think the key to understanding and mapping negative, conspiratorial and hostile Jewish influence is through identifying Jewish Zionist networks. The kind of Jewish Hollywood/media or Wall Street mind that is swindling Americans and subversively working against and undermining American cohesiveness and cooperation while simultaneously stirring up enmity and strife is the same kind of mind that is going to be attracted to support for Zionism — because Zionism is the epitome and apex of that mindset.
Therefore most of the worst of the Jewish subversives can be identified through their connection to and support of Zionism and Zionist networks, just like the worst of the charlatan/Elmer Gantry "Christians" can be identified through their support of Zionism. And the same goes for the worst of the Washington politicians, both Jewish and gentile.
All of the worst elements of America seem to be intersecting at the crossroads of support for Zionism. This serves as a handy rule of thumb useful for tracing the deep-seated corruption that is at the root of our current and ongoing turmoil, and for connecting those that have eroded the ethical and moral foundations of America to the point where the entire structure is now crumbling.
Great post Ed. That basically conveys my views on the subject.
Zionists condemn Reality as a kangeroo Court:
http://www.maxajl.com/?p=557
LD, ED, How long have you two jokers been unemployed? Did a Jew fire you or did just one Jew replace the both of you?
For the record, Rowan, it's "Chris's Stools," which is a perfectly apt description of Chris's postings as well as those expressing themselves in the manner that boy-berel does.
I hope he is removed from polite society soon, for the good of Phil's tribe and the level of discourse overall. Reading Chris, and Suzanne, and Thom, and the rest of the nattering nabobs, is like suffering from chronic eye rash.
Rubbing it only makes it worse. The "cure" is Phil and Adam either selectively deleting the offending posts (a labor intensive halfway measure) or banning him entirely. The drivel of the others can more than make up the slack, and then they can be weeded out when they show no desire or ability to conform to the comment policy themselves.
Do you notice how from Witty down to Berel, there is this escalation of vulgarity and ignorance?
Snow Weitz and the Seven Trolls!
Witty – Pretentious
Suzanne – Condescending
Julian – Boring
Euro – Trite
Thom – Grumpy
SoG – Sockpuppet
Berel – Douchebag
Dear American:
Thanks for the comment, earlier today. I agree that phone calling and/or e-mailing these Congressional members is an important way to support them. I also agree that contributing to their campaigns is also another effective way of supporting them. There is a fundraising page on Actblue.com to support these various Congressional members (with respect to Israel- Palestine issue). You can go to link to actblue.com